http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/marines/ en-us Sat, 2 Jan 2010 14:46:37 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2419483/posts I understand the Board of Inquiry (BOI) results are mixed and the recommendation is that LtCol Jeff Chessani is permitted to retire with his rank intact. I am truly happy that General Carparotto and his other two board members submitted that recommendation. I am very concerned, however, that this small crumb is a political accommodation to cover the possible administrative, political deception and trickery yet to come. DefendOurMarines.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2419483/posts#comment Sat, 2 Jan 2010 14:46:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417267/posts When you leave Wal-Mart after making a purchase, you walk past a scanner that sets off an alarm if you haven't paid for something.And if the alarm goes off at this Wal-Mart, Ed Bauman will want to talk to you.Ed Bauman, Wal-Mart greeter, says "I'm getting too old for this stuff."Too old to be punched in the head by a customer who exception to Bauman's questions.Ed says "when he swang, he got me right here," pointing to the back of his head.The 69-year-old greeter was at the entrance when a man in red shorts, identified as Skyler Lowery set... KING TV / WESHTV http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417267/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:50:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416590/posts HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Dec. 28, 2009 – Marines of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion are serving in southern Afghanistan with pride, despite the hardship of being away from their families during the holidays. Marine Corps Cpl. Jonathan Lehman, a combat engineer, cuts down a tree to make room for the construction of an observation post in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 18, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Marines are working hard, building observational posts, searching for improvised explosive devices and providing route clearance. “I didn't join the Marine Corps... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416590/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:46:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415873/posts President Barack Obama is playing basketball and working out at the gym at the Marine Base near his rented vacation home. The president arrived at the gym at shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday. He's playing basketball with friends and staff. Some of people Obama played golf with Saturday are expected to shoot hoops with him Star Bulletin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415873/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:11:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2415715/posts Here is video of President and Mrs. Obama taking time out from their $9 million Hawaiian vacation estate for a brief visit with U.S. Marine families at the Kaneohe Base. This raw video shows the President and Michelle talking with Marine families. . . . (VIDEO) Freedom's Lighthouse http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2415715/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:04:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415211/posts HONOLULU – Amid a federal investigation into an attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visited with service men and women who were having dinner Friday afternoon at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The Obamas spent about half an hour in the mess hall shaking hands with Marines and their families as they ate traditional holiday fare of turkey, ham, stuffing, corn and broccoli. “Hi guys, Merry Christmas,” President Obama said as he entered the mess hall from a side door. The president and the first lady went from table to table, reaching roughly... POLITICO.COM http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415211/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:01:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414370/posts Despite his inability to walk or even talk, a young man still obtained an honor typically reserved for the elite. GALLIA COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- The few, the proud, the Marines - it's a badge of honor many strive for, but only a few achieve. But for one young man fighting for his own life, he never lost his dream of fighting for his country. Despite his inability to walk or even talk, this young man still obtained an honor typically reserved for the elite. Ernie Stumbo is like most dads -- proud of his son's achievements and eager to... WSAZ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414370/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:15:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409117/posts HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Dec. 15, 2009 – When Marines hear they must live at a small patrol base for a long time, many think of primitive facilities, dirty conditions and bland, packaged meals coming from brown bags. Navy Seaman Timothy Wienke and Marine Corps Cpls. Carlos Martinez and Carlos J. Orellana chop vegetables, season meat and cook sides at the Patrol Base Jaker custom field kitchen in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Dec. 5, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brian Tuthill  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. But for Marines with the police mentoring team assigned to the 1st Battalion,... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409117/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:29:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406841/posts NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, Japan — It all started four years ago with a Tickle Me Elmo doll. Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Grant figured he’d do his part to support the Toys for Tots drive at Whidbey Island, Wash., and he tossed the doll into his shopping cart. Then he eyed a few more toys, thinking he could help more children. "If you give one toy to one kid in an orphanage, that can change that child’s world," said Grant, now working for Commander Fleet Air, Western Pacific. "But if you can give hundreds of toys, that can have... Stars and Stripes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406841/posts#comment Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:30:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406239/posts Hard to trust our warriors to CinC By GREG SCHARF December 11, 2009 Like most Americans, I listened intently to the president's speech last week regarding our strategy in Afghanistan. I was hoping for a Reagan moment, but all I could think was, "Crud, Carter's back!" Only worse. The step up makes sense, but when he started talking about the exit strategy like many, I shook my head. But to listen to his hand-wringing about Gitmo and waterboarding made me realize we're in big trouble. It hits home as my son-in-law, Marine Sgt. David Hall, is deploying to Afghanistan come... North County Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2406239/posts#comment Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:15:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405914/posts The highest-ranked Marine accused of bungling the military's response to the slayings of two dozen Iraqi civilians after a lethal 2005 roadside bombing displayed substandard performance, but he should not be demoted, a three-member Board of Inquiry ruled Friday. The military board said it will recommend to the secretary of the Navy that Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, with 22 years of service and three tours of duty in Iraq, be allowed to retain his rank and not be demoted to major. "It's been a long four years, but it hasn't been a miserable four years," Chessani told the North County... NC Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405914/posts#comment Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:09:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405193/posts The Marine officer who commanded the Camp Pendleton troops responsible for killing two dozen Iraqi civilians after a roadside bombing in 2005 denied Thursday trying to cover up the killings or failing to report what he knew to the chain of command in Iraq. "I was told it was a bona fide combat action and no investigation was required," Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani said of the response he got from his superiors after he reported the incident. Chessani also said his later removal as commander of Camp Pendleton's 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment "was the most professionally devastating day of... North County Times / The Californian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405193/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:08:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405789/posts WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2009 – A battalion of Marines in southern Afghanistan now has the upper hand in a city they believed to be a Taliban stronghold, a senior Marine Corps officer in Helmand province said today. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conduct combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, Dec.4, 2009. Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and communication in Now Zad, once a safe haven for Taliban forces in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. For many months, Now Zad,... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2405789/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:35:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405288/posts Roy Lee Gant, a Lucky Dog vendor in the French Quarter, may look like an easy mark for an armed robber. He wears a candy-cane-striped button-up shirt. He wheels around sausage and condiments to sell in a 1,200-pound cart shaped like a ballpark wiener, opting to make ends meet in the manner of Ignatius J. Reilly in "A Confederacy of Dunces." None of that oozes toughness. But Gant is a former Marine, trained in hand-to-hand combat. And a 42-year-old man accused of attempting to rob Gant at knifepoint the night of Dec. 5 found that out too late, New Orleans... The Times Picayune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2405288/posts#comment Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:54:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2403236/posts HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Dec. 8, 2009 – A previous fear of the Taliban would have kept the people of Amir Agha hidden in their compounds as Marines patrolled through their fields and town, but their willingness to talk has increased with a growing sense of security. Marine Corps Sgt. Stephen G. Patten talks to a villager during a patrol through the fields and town of Amir Agha in Garmsir, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2009. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Dwight Henderson  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. "We want to help you. We need to talk to you. It... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2403236/posts#comment Tue, 8 Dec 2009 23:13:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2402348/posts From the Podium: J. D. Pendry, Retired Sergeant Major, USMC Jimmy Carter, you are the father of the Islamic Nazi movement. You threw the Shah under the bus, welcomed the Ayatollah home, and then lacked the spine to confront the terrorists when they took our embassy and our people hostage. You're the "runner-in-chief." Bill Clinton, you played ring around the Lewinsky while the terrorists were at war with us. You got us into a fight with them in Somalia and then you ran from it. Your weak-willed responses to the USS Cole and the First Trade Center Bombing and Our... Notoriously Conservative http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2402348/posts#comment Mon, 7 Dec 2009 22:11:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401336/posts CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Military officials say a decorated Marine from Minnesota has been killed in a parachute training exercise at Camp Pendleton. A Marine Corps statement says Corporal Ryan L. Pape died Thursday night from injuries sustained during a low-level static line jump. StarTribune.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401336/posts#comment Sun, 6 Dec 2009 03:54:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2400596/posts Here is a video report on the progress of Operation "Cobra's Anger," launched by nearly 1,000 U.S. Marines today against the Taliban in the Southern part of the country. This report says a Marine source says the Taliban have been "caught off guard," and are "confused and disorganized." The Marines dropped into the area overnight, an area that has been a Taliban stronghold. . . . (VIDEO) Freedom's Lighthouse http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2400596/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 23:31:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400568/posts WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2009 – More than 1,000 International Security Assistance Force troops are partnering with Afghan forces to begin a large-scale operation in northern Helmand province. About 900 U.S. Marines and sailors and British forces began partnering today with 150 Afghan soldiers and police to start Operation Khareh Cobra, or Cobra’s Anger, to clear insurgent forces in the Now Zad valley. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7 and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion are partnered with Afghan army and police. The forces began helicopter and ground operations in the Now Zad valley early this morning. Now... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400568/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 23:02:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400452/posts email LtCol ChessaniÂ’s Board of Inquiry Begins ─ Battle-Hardened Marine Veterans View Proceedings With Dismay December 04, 2009 ANN ARBOR, MI – On Wednesday, December 2nd, in a military courtroom at Camp Pendleton, California, the government began its case against an American warrior. They know this is their last chance to disgrace and destroy the 22 - year career of Marine LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, and itÂ’s evident they are pulling out all the stops. Many of the spectators in the small courtroom were battle-hardened Marine veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Some were veterans of the Korean Chosin... Thomas Moore Law Center http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400452/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 20:27:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2398969/posts http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/use-of-marine-corps-trademarks/ Also posted above url Marine Corps Trademark And Licensing Program http://www.marines.mil/unit/divpa/tmlo/Pages/faq.aspx Other info: SEE ALSO: http://forum.zazzle.com/misc/product_removal_usmc?m=222621 and... http://rovinghistorian.blogspot.com/2009/12/marine-corps-restricts-use-of-emblems.html -- ********** USMC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2398969/posts#comment Thu, 3 Dec 2009 02:50:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398239/posts Be Seated. Men, this stuff we hear about America wanting to stay out of the war, not wanting to fight, is a lot of bullshit. Americans love to fight - traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble player; the fastest runner; the big league ball players; the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win - all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398239/posts#comment Wed, 2 Dec 2009 06:03:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398006/posts Four members of a Camp Pendleton squad convicted of taking part in the kidnapping and murder of an Iraqi civilian in 2006 have been ordered by the Secretary of the Navy to be removed from the military. Secretary Ray Mabus also directed the Marine Corps to demonstrate why a lieutenant who oversaw the unit and acknowledged abusing detainees should be allowed to stay in the service. The sweeping order requires the administrative separation within 10 days of "Pendleton 8" defendants Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Tyler Jackson, Jerry Shumate and John Jodka III. Mabus, who has the authority to remove enlisted... North County Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2398006/posts#comment Tue, 1 Dec 2009 23:53:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2397392/posts Arthur Colby arrives at Quantico Marine Base by way of Groton boarding school and Dickinson College -- exclusive, private institutions that aren't exactly pipelines to the military. Officer Candidates School, he knows, will be unlike anything he's faced in his young life. At 20, Colby has a résumé crammed with hallmarks of the young and ambitious -- president of Dickinson's freshman class, internships with the Bush and McCain campaigns, a stint with a high-powered Washington consulting firm. He'd be well on his way to a bright future without the Marines. Instead, he's expecting six hellish weeks. Predawn hikes, obstacle courses,... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2397392/posts#comment Tue, 1 Dec 2009 04:56:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397148/posts An inquiry board will convene Wednesday morning at Camp Pendleton to decide if a Marine Corps officer should be demoted for his actions after the shooting deaths of 24 Iraqi men, women and children four years ago. At issue is whether Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, who commanded the Camp Pendleton unit that carried out the slayings, engaged in misconduct in handling the incident. The inquiry board is the final step in Chessani's case; prosecutors earlier this year dropped two counts of criminal dereliction of duty. If the board finds there was no misconduct, the case will be closed. If it... N C TIMES http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397148/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:57:40 GMT